Turkey Day?

The other day I was driving in my car and listening to the radio, and I overheard the disc jockey talk about how she was looking forward to Thursday because it was "Turkey Day". She made no mention of the fact that it is actually called Thanksgiving Day, and has been an official national holiday since 1941 (although it has been celebrated unofficially on the last Thursday of November since Abraham Lincoln was in office and declared the day a "National Day of Thanksgiving"). So why do people try to be cute and call it Turkey Day? Actually, while most people seem to point to the year 1621 as when the first "Thanksgiving" was celebrated (when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast), there was probably no turkey involved. According to information I found on the history.com website, here is what was probably served on that day: venison and fowl (probably not a turkey) and certainly not mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie (who likes this stuff anyway?). The most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

So to the disc jockey and anyone else who might call Thursday, "Turkey Day", let's get it right, it's Thanksgiving. Be thankful, show thanks and give thanks! We do have much to be thankful for, even in these crazy times.

Hitting the highway

Leader of the pack

While there are not too many things more exhilarating than riding a motorcycle, riding in a large group of motorcycles is one of them. I usually ride alone because I tend to make last minute decisions to go out based on weather conditions and family activities, but occasionally I will plan a ride with a friend or two. Recently I was part of a group of 20 or so bikers riding through the winding roads of the Missouri wine country near Defiance, MO. Riding in a larger group brings some additional challenges, but the experience of riding in a large pack can't be beat. While one must be cautious of the riders in front and behind you, the roar of the engines and the looks and gazes of people you pass by makes you proud to be one of the pack. When riding in a larger group, motorcycles usually form a staggered formation to give room in front and back for stopping, but allowing for a tighter grouping of bikes. If the roads become too narrow or have many sharp turns, a single file formation may become necessary. Many motorcycle dealerships organize group rides on a regular basis. The Veteran's Day parade is a time when dealerships, clubs and riding chapters come together for a bigger than life experience downtown. Hundreds, if not thousands of motorcycles will descend upon downtown St. Louis next weekend to take part in the annual parade. Motorcycles of all types, sizes, and colors, will bring up the rear of the parade to the delight of children and onlookers alike. I took part in the parade last year and it was definitely a highlight of my year. So if you're a biker, find a group to ride with soon. It sure beats riding alone. And if you just like to see motorcycles, come down to the parade and witness a multitude of bikers like you've never seen before...all in support of those brave soldiers who have fought for our freedom as Americans!

Candy to the rescue!

This post was originally written on 11/18/2008

When you have kids, it's only a matter of time before they get hurt. Children are accident prone. They don't have the sense to know what their physical limitations are and can be either very daring or very clumsy. Either way, it often times leads to injury. Now when you have multiple children in the household a new element emerges...roughhousing. Some also call this horseplay. My two oldest boys like to wrestle with each other. They also like to pretend they are bull riders and take turns riding on each other's back. Many times this innocent child play leads to unintended consequences. Someone gets hurt. Now, my two daughters, who are much younger, can also get hurt; usually by falling off a chair, or hitting the other over a toy dispute. As most parents would do, we try to console the injured child and find out the source of their pain. Once the crying begins to subside we resort to a habit that got started many years ago when our firstborn was a toddler...we give the kid a piece of candy. We discovered that a crying and sometimes even screaming child will quickly have an attitude change with the simple gift of a sucker. One moment he or she could be convincing enough that we should be heading to the emergency room, and the next moment...calm. We quickly learned that we should always have a source for candy in case of these types of calamities. Halloween and Valentines Day are excellent sources for candy replenishment. Easter adds more to the bucket also. It's amazing how effective a little piece of candy can be to sooth a child's temperament. Over the years, we have found that Tootsie Rolls, Pez, and Smarties are the kid's favorites for this purpose. But lately I have noticed that Dum Dums (the small little sucker) work especially well with our daughters. Now that our boys are a little older, 6 and 8, they prefer the bigger suckers with the Tootsie Roll centers, but they work just the same. Sometimes I wonder if these little tykes get hurt on purpose, just so they can get a piece of candy. And what are we teaching them for the future? To go to the refrigerator when you get hurt? Well, we have time to mold their minds as they head into their teenage years. Yesterday I was reminded of another reason to reconsider this strategy of parenting...I took my six year old to the dentist and found out that he had 4 cavities!

Editor's note:  My kids are now 4, 5, 7, 10, and 12 and they all still want a piece of candy after they get hurt.    Some things never change.

Is this you on the road?

Best of Thoughts from Scott

(This post was originally written on 9/2/2011)

Driving can be frustrating. There is too much traffic, too many stoplights, and oh those inconsiderate drivers. Most people have been cut off a few times in their life. But have you really watched some of the drivers on the road? I mean, have you observed what they do while they're driving? As a motorcyclist, I have to be much more aware of other cars and trucks than you do. Because motorcycles are not seen as easily as other cars, we have to be much more defensive when we drive on the roads and highways. We are constantly scanning ahead of us to watch out for cars and trucks pulling out into a lane ahead of us, stopping to make a turn without signaling, or coming into our lane without notice. Sure we've all been passed by a sportbike going too fast or maybe even doing a wheelie, but most motorcyclists are very good and considerate drivers. After all, one mistake and it could mean our lives. There has been a lot of press and even new laws about driving and texting, but have you ever considered some of the other things people do while they're driving? Besides searching for a new radio station or putting in a new CD, I have seen people put on makeup, read a book or magazine propped on their steering wheel, and of course how many people eat while they drive? Cell phone use is big, too. When I see a car going slower than the rest of traffic and maybe even wandering in their lane, chances are it's someone on a cell phone driving, not a drunk driver. So now that the weather is getting nicer, roll down the windows and try to imagine yourself riding a motorcycle. Smell the fresh air and try to see things from our perspective. We all share the road and we all want to reach our destination safely.

Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide